All That Glitters by Quinn Ashley

Author:Quinn, Ashley [Quinn, Ashley]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: 2012-10-05T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 17

“Why don’t you sit?” Alexis asked as she motioned to another spot on the brick ledge. “I promise I don’t bite. Hard.”

Michelle laughed as she leaned over to sit next to her friend. Alexis reached out and brushed a hand across the crumbling brick.

“Oh my God!” Michelle jumped in surprise and lost her balance.

“Sorry!” Alexis exclaimed. “There was a…”

She was interrupted by a short yelp and gentle splash as Michelle failed to regain her balance and tripped over the ledge and her own two feet.

“…Beetle on the ledge,” she finished in shock as she turned quickly. “Holy shit, Michelle, are you okay?”

Alexis was not prepared for the sight before her. The koi pond was only about two feet deep and filled with exotic-colored tropical fish. The water rippled in aftershocks from the splash and the fish darted in all different directions. To her surprise, Michelle sat for a stunned moment in the water with her legs splayed. She was shaking with laughter.

“Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?” Alexis tried again nervously.

Michelle shook her head as she continued to laugh. “Only my pride!” she finally spluttered. “I can’t believe I just tripped over my own feet and fell into this…this nice decorative pond!” Another round of giggles immobilized her. “Once a klutz, always a klutz, I guess. Some things just never change.”

Alexis chanced a small smile. Okay, so she’s not freaking out. That’s a good thing. Maybe she really has grown up. Maybe we both have.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized again. “I wasn’t trying to…I mean, there was a bug. A big beetle. I was trying to brush it away before you sat down. I swear I wasn’t…”

Michelle grinned. “Copping a feel?”

Alexis felt her face flush. “Right. That.”

She stood slowly and Alexis tried not to watch as her tight tank top clung to every curve. She could see every muscle in her legs through her jeans, heavy with water, as she stepped gingerly back over the ledge. Droplets of water ran down her bare forearms and from the matted, curled tips of her hair before dripping onto the concrete.

Say something. Anything Alexis thought quickly. And don’t you dare think about how sexy she looks.

“Are you okay?” she pressed on. “You hit the water pretty hard.”

Michelle shrugged it off. “I’m fine,” she replied easily. “It was nothing. If I can deal every day with the sharks in L.A., I can hang with a couple of tropical fish in a koi pond.”

Alexis smiled and opened her mouth, but closed it quickly at the sound of the door slamming. Garrett, carrying a bucket of ice and beers, grinned at them.

“There you are!” he called. “Our back patio doesn’t normally open until ten. I thought you ducked out already. The crowd is getting crazy in there, Michelle, and they’re all here to see you. I’ve never seen it so packed in this place.” He stopped short for a moment and cocked his head at her. “Say, are you okay? You’re soaked.”

Michelle shrugged. “I’m, um, fine.

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